A natural wonder
The Somerset Levels were described in the Middle Ages as being “wet and weely, miry and moorish”. This is rather a gloomy picture for a landscape that has more recently been described as “wild country ... fascinating and quite magical”. Ironically, the winter months are often the best time to visit an area now termed the “Avalon Marshes” by the tourist authorities, with seasonal mists lending the Levels a special atmosphere. It is also the time to catch the ever-popular starling murmuration.
The starling murmuration has been described as arguably the greatest wildlife spectacle in Britain. None other than
Bill Oddie has compared it to anything on the Serengeti Plains of Africa. As dusk approaches, flocks of starlings swoop in over the Levels to roost on the reed beds. As the flocks meet and mix and merge, a spectacular sight fills the skies, an almost theatrical performance.
The murmuration occurs up to the end of March because of the sheer numbers of starlings in the area at this time. Come the summer, the birds head back to other parts of mainland europe for the breeding season. And it is not just a sunset spectacle – arrive at the site just before sunrise and witness the starlings take off for the day in maybe just two or three large groups.
Unfortunately, a murmuration cannot be guaranteed on every day of the winter season. On some days, the starlings will simply appear in smaller groups and drop into the reed beds almost unnoticed. The better the weather, the more likely it is that you will witness a spectacular murmuration. It is also the case that the presence of a predator such as a marsh harrier will also heighten the visual experience.
ham Wall Nature Reserve is the focus of this walk, a fascinating wetland that was created when peat extraction ceased in the area. The reed beds and flooded workings are home to a rich array of wildlife that includes bitterns and otters, water voles and great crested newts, with the waterways containing a large population of eels. easier to spot, and equally appealing, are the egrets and herons that stand as if sentries guarding the water’s edge.
A practical note here: the starling murmuration takes place in the hour or so leading up to dusk. Its precise location can vary so take advice from the on-site warden. On my recent visit, the murmuration occurred on the neighbouring Shapwick heath Reserve, as described in the directions.
How To get There
■ Leave the A39 Glastonbury Bypass to follow the B3151 towards Wedmore. In 3½ miles, in the village of Meare, turn left along a road signposted to Ashcott and ‘Nature Reserve’. In 1¼ miles, turn left into the Ham Wall car park.
■ There are no precise directions this week due to the number of optional ‘loops’. Pick up a map at the on-site visitors’ centre and decide which options suit you. I have also included a there-and-back extension out on to Shapwick Heath where the murmuration occurred on my recent visit. This extension is well worth doing anyway as it includes a couple of hides.
■ 1. Leave the car park on a path by the visitors’ centre and walk up to the main track on Ham Wall. This was once the railway line from Highbridge to Glastonbury. Follow this to the right for over one mile, with loops on the right taking you around Walton Heath and Loxton’s Marsh. A there-andback path on the left leads to the Avalon Hide. Return to the car park where light refreshments are available, as well as public toilets.
■ 2. Exit the car park on to the Ashcott to Meare road and cross over into the Shapwick Heath car park. Follow the track beyond this car park for ½ mile to a point where paths on either side of the track lead to hides. Re-trace your steps to the car park although, if feeling energetic, you could continue across Shapwick Heath for a further 1¼ miles before heading back!